Leading Edge Semiconductor Company Places Multi-System Laser Annealing Order Including First Nanosecond Annealing System

Rhea-AI Summary

Veeco Instruments Inc. announced that a leading edge semiconductor company has placed an order for multiple laser annealing systems to speed up the design and manufacturing of 2-nanometer gate-all-around logic semiconductor chips. The order includes LSA201™ Laser Spike Annealing Systems and an NSA500™ Nanosecond Annealing System, chosen for high volume production. These systems are important for next-generation gate-all-around logic device production, meeting demand in markets like artificial intelligence.

Positive

• Veeco's annealing platforms are chosen by a leading semiconductor company for the production of 2-nanometer gate-all-around logic chips, signifying industry recognition and demand for Veeco's technology.

• The inclusion of the LSA201 and NSA500 Annealing Systems in the order highlights Veeco's diverse range of solutions catering to different semiconductor manufacturing needs, showcasing the company's versatility and flexibility in meeting customer requirements.

Negative

• While the order signifies a positive development for Veeco, the company may face challenges in ensuring the timely delivery and installation of the multiple laser annealing systems to meet the customer's production deadlines, potentially impacting revenue if delays occur.

Semiconductor Industry Analyst

The order placed by a leading semiconductor company for Veeco Instruments Inc.'s multiple laser annealing systems, including their first Nanosecond Annealing System, reflects the ongoing advancements in the semiconductor industry, particularly in the production of 2-nanometer gate-all-around logic chips. The significance of this order lies in the industry's push towards smaller node sizes, which are important for enhancing the performance of semiconductor devices. The laser spike annealing technology employed in these systems is a pivotal innovation for activating dopants while maintaining a low thermal budget, which is increasingly important as devices become more advanced. By securing this order, Veeco demonstrates its competitive edge in providing solutions that cater to the precise demands of semiconductor fabrication at leading-edge nodes. Investors can view this development as a positive reinforcement of Veeco's market position and an indicator of potential growth, especially given the mentioned applications in burgeoning fields such as artificial intelligence. It's essential to monitor how Veeco capitalizes on this opportunity and manages to maintain its technological lead in the future.

Financial Analyst

Veeco Instruments Inc.'s announcement of a multi-system order from a leading semiconductor company could potentially have a favorable impact on the company's financial performance. The inclusion of the NSA500™ system in the order represents a milestone in Veeco's product portfolio, possibly translating to an increase in revenue streams and diversifying their offerings. The demand for gate-all-around logic chips, essential for high-performance computing applications, suggests a robust market need. This demand is likely to grow, supporting Veeco's revenue generation in the short to mid-term. Long-term financial implications depend on Veeco's ability to stay ahead of rapid technological advancements and maintain its customer base in a highly competitive sector. Investors should consider the possible increase in R&D expenses that might accompany the rollout and support of these advanced systems. However, if this order signals the start of a trend where Veeco's technology becomes a standard in semiconductor manufacturing, it could imply sustained financial growth.

LSA201 and NSA500 Annealing Systems Chosen for High Volume Production of 2 Nanometer Gate-All-Around Logic Chips

PLAINVIEW, N.Y., May 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veeco Instruments Inc. (NASDAQ: VECO) announced today that a leading edge semiconductor company has placed an order for multiple laser annealing systems to accelerate the design and manufacturing of 2-nanometer gate-all-around logic semiconductor chips. The order includes LSA201™ Laser Spike Annealing Systems in addition to an NSA500™ Nanosecond Annealing System. Gate-all-around is a vertical stacking of planar channels resulting in improved device drive current capability with minimal leakage, less power consumption, and overall enhanced performance.

“We are excited to have our annealing platforms chosen to accelerate next-generation gate-all-around logic device production to meet demand for growing markets such as artificial intelligence,” commented Adrian Devasahayam, Ph.D., Veeco’s Senior Vice President, Product Line Management. “Veeco's LSA system is widely acknowledged as the optimum annealing solution for low thermal-budget applications in logic. The new NSA500 system offers customers superior performance, scalability, and productivity to enable product roadmaps. These benefits are essential to ensuring high device performance as node sizes decrease and production complexity increases.”

Laser spike annealing is a millisecond annealing technology used in front-end semiconductor manufacturing to lower the resistance of key transistor structures by activating dopants. Veeco’s LSA system is capable of high temperature annealing while staying within reduced thermal budgets of advanced devices at leading-edge nodes. The NSA500 system extends annealing capabilities to low thermal budget applications, like Backside Power Delivery and Contact Annealing for advanced nodes and material modification applications such as void-removal, recrystallization, and grain growth. These annealing steps are instrumental in determining the electrical properties and performance of the resulting devices.

About Veeco
Veeco (NASDAQ: VECO) is an innovative manufacturer of semiconductor process equipment. Our laser annealing, ion beam, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), single wafer etch & clean and lithography technologies play an integral role in the fabrication and packaging of advanced semiconductor devices. With equipment designed to optimize performance, yield and cost of ownership, Veeco holds leading technology positions in the markets we serve. To learn more about Veeco’s systems and service offerings, visit www.veeco.com.

To the extent that this news release discusses expectations or otherwise makes statements about the future, such statements are forward-looking and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These factors include the risks discussed in the Business Description and Management's Discussion and Analysis sections of Veeco's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and press releases. Veeco does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

Veeco Contacts:
Investors: Anthony Pappone | (516) 500-8798 | apappone@veeco.com
Media: Kevin Long | (516) 714-3978 | klong@veeco.com

FAQ

What annealing systems were included in the order for semiconductor manufacturing?

The order included LSA201™ Laser Spike Annealing Systems and an NSA500™ Nanosecond Annealing System.

What is the purpose of gate-all-around logic semiconductor chips?

Gate-all-around logic chips involve vertical stacking of planar channels, resulting in improved device performance with reduced power consumption and enhanced capabilities.

Who commented on the selection of Veeco's annealing platforms for next-generation chip production?

Adrian Devasahayam, Ph.D., Veeco’s Senior Vice President, Product Line Management, commented on the selection.

What is the significance of laser spike annealing in semiconductor manufacturing?

Laser spike annealing is used to lower the resistance of key transistor structures by activating dopants, essential for improving device performance.

What benefits does the NSA500 system offer to customers?

The NSA500 system offers superior performance, scalability, and productivity for low thermal budget applications, ensuring high device performance as node sizes decrease.

What role do annealing steps play in semiconductor device production?

Annealing steps are important for determining the electrical properties and performance of resulting devices in semiconductor manufacturing.